Vaura

Vaura

Sables

Profound Lore

The ever-evolving quartet Vaura follows up their 2013 album The Missing almost six years later with Sables, their most refined and contemplative release yet. Introspective and somber, this album finds the band shedding most of its post-metal heaviness in favor of experiments with brooding kosmische musik and the more avant-garde elements of new wave. Consisting of Josh Strawn (Azar Swan) on vocals, guitar and synthesizers, Kevin Hufnagel (Gorguts, Dysrhythmia) on guitar, Toby Driver (Kayo Dot) on bass, and Charlie Schmid (Tombs) on drums and electronics, the band engages ever more with their UK and German prog / art rock influences to grandiose and eerie effect. While still retaining the distinctive and specific style carved out on the band’s first two releases (Selenelion in 2010 and the aforementioned The Missing), Sables is the all-vital third release, a concise collection of meditative compositions on endings and extinctions. Brilliantly complemented by the mixing and production work of legendary UK producer Peter Walsh (Scott Walker, Peter Gabriel), Vaura have delivered their best sounding, most intricate and realized album yet.

Vaura

Missing

Flenser

Now available on vinyl! The Missing, the sophomore album from Vaura, draws from vastly different genres including ’80s goth, black metal and progressive rock. Vaura is an all-star cast of Brooklyn avant-grade and metal musicians, featuring Joshua Strawn (Azar Swan) on vocals, Kevin Hufnagel (Gorguts, Dysrhythmia), drummer Charlie Schmid and cult superstar Toby Driver on bass (Secret Chiefs 3, Kayo Dot, Maudlin of the Well). Despite the often complex musicality of the members’ other projects, the group’s sound is cohesive and streamlined, with atmospheric vocals and a hypnotic rhythm section intersected by black metal blast-beats, chorus-laden guitars and synth overtones. The Missing was originally issued on CD by Profound Lore Records to great critical acclaim, appearing on many year-end lists. Their debut album Selenelion was released by New York’s Wierd Records in 2012.  “The Missing is a daring, provocative album that mixes the best of ’80s goth-pop, musical mojo and clean vocals, and somehow makes it all work.” —Decibel  “[D]isarmingly catchy... Vaura’s stylistic composite is decisive and deliberate.” —Pitchfork

Vaura

Missing

Profound Lore

Brooklyn, NY’s Vaura was formed in late 2009 by guitarist Kevin Hufnagel (also of Gorguts and Dysrhythmia fame) and vocalist / guitarist Joshua Strawn after the two musicians were introduced by a mutual friend; the pair were soon demo-ing a set of songs that mixed grandiose melodic guitars, synth textures and hazy, distant vocals. When bassist Toby Driver (Kayo Dot and Maudlin of the Well mastermind) and drummer Charlie Schmid joined the fold, Vaura reworked the demo material to assemble their debut Selenelion, released early 2012 on Wierd Records. Praised upon its release by notable press outlets such as Decibel, Pitchfork, Dusted and Alarm Press, the album showcased Vaura’s seamless meld of progressive metal, shoegaze, post-punk and indie rock. With their new album The Missing, Vaura takes their sound even further, building upon the foundation they laid down on Selenelion. Their progressive metal elements harken back to ’80s-era Rush and classic Queensryche, to which the band adds strains of post-punk and dark-wave to deliver one of the most distinct heavy music albums of the year.